The One Who Lived
by JayJayWords
Summary: George finds a friend in Luna and deals with losing Fred.
1. The One Who Lived

It was very difficult to describe exactly what George was, after the Battle at Hogwarts. Perhaps the best word to use, he thought, was lost. George was lost. For hours he wandered around the ruins of the castle. He hadn't slept or eaten for days and his mind was fuzzy. He floated through the halls and class rooms with no real purpose, passing by the injured and broken survivors as they gathered together. He did not search for his family or friends, he did not celebrate whatever victory this was or congratulate himself on staying alive. He simple wandered aimlessly. Eventually he found himself in his old dormitory, standing over his old bed. There was a large hole in the wall where a window use to be and debris carpeted the floors. Still, this place seemed safe. If he thought hard enough he could hear Fred's voice, even see him standing at the foot of his own bed.

"Like what they've done with the place." Fred might say with a smile. "bit more . . .airy." George walked over to the gaping hole his feet teasing the edge. He could just make out Hogsmeade in the distance. The shop. Oh the shop, he thought. How could he go back there? How could he stand there alone?

"Pretty isn't it?" George jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of someone else. Luna stood next to him her eyes taking in the view.

"Suppose." George said. Her presence made him uneasy.

"I wonder if the Umgubular Slashkilter's are alright?" She said casually as she swirled the tips of her tangled blond hair between her fingertips.

"Probably not." George said an edge in his voice. People were dead, his people, his person . . .they were dead. And here she was worrying about make believe creatures. He just wanted her to leave him alone.

"Oh I don't know." She said thoughtfully. "They're remarkably clever you know. I bet they faired much better than we did."

"Great. That's really bloody fantastic Luna." He nearly shouted.

"Oh." She said mildly, looking at him for the first time. "You're angry aren't you?"

"No, no I'm not." He sighed rubbing his face with his hands. "Sorry, I'm just, tired I guess." The truth was he wasn't tired at all but there was no other excuse he could give for his short temper. Or at least no other excuse he was willing to say out loud. "I think I'll just take a nap."

" Ok." Luna said turning on her heel. She stopped as she reached the door. "You should know though, it doesn't stop."

"What?" George asked.

"The hurt, it doesn't stop when you sleep." And with that she was gone and George was alone once again. Which really didn't feel as good as he'd hoped it would.

The walls were wonky and distorted. They stretched far above his head and rippled like they weren't solid. He couldn't think, his mind was slow and everything felt very odd. He stumbled forward and found himself at the entrance to the great hall. Fighting, there was a lot of fighting. Everywhere people shouted and screamed sparks of colour flying in every direction. He tried to run but his legs felt like lead. Someone was coming towards him. George went to pull out his wand but found he had none. The figure continued to approach. Stop, george thought as he covered his head with his hands, stop! Suddenly everything went silent, slowly he dropped his arms. The Great Hall was empty, everyone was gone. He felt something wet on his feet. Blood. The floor was covered in blood. He started forward and then noticed someone standing in the middle of the room.

"Who's there?" He called as he got closer. Wait a second, he thought, I know that face! "Fred!" He called running forward. "FRED." He reached him and instantly gave him a hug. He smiled as he let go, but something was wrong. Fred's eyes stared at him blankly, unseeing, a humorless smile on his lips. "Freds?" George said. "Fred what's wrong?" He shook his brother. "FRED? Talk to me Freddie!" But instead Fred crumpled on to the floor and lay there still. "No!" George cried. "No, no, no, no! Please!" He begged the lifeless body. "Wake up! Come on wake up!" In his panic he hadn't notice that the blood was rising, it was now up to his knees. His waist. His shoulders. He tried to take his brother with him but his body was too heavy. He scrambled up chairs and tables trying to escape but it was no use. He was drowning in blood.

"George?" a voice called out.

"Fred! Fred I'm here, I'm here!" George replied.

"George? George? Wake up George." George sat right up his face covered in sweat. But that wasn't all. He felt his cheeks, tears. He'd been crying. "George dear?" His mother said tentatively. It'd been three weeks since that day. Three of the Hardest weeks George had ever had to endure.

"What is it mum?" He said breathlessly. She sat on the bed opposite him, her gaze pitying.

"You've barely left your room." She said softly. "I think, I think you need to go outside, talk to people."

"I'd really rather not." He said slowly trying to keep his voice steady. "People are overrated if you ask me." She didn't smile and neither did he.

"Georgie please?" She said. "For me, will you try for me?" He swallowed which was surprisingly more difficult than usual.

"Sure mum." He said. "I'll try." She gave him a weak smile and kissed his forehead.

"You don't have to forget him, heavens knows we wont, you just have to live. Live for him." It was perhaps the most cliche, sappy thing George had ever heard. Live for him? How exactly was he suppose to do that?

"Thanks. I will." He said.

Eventually he managed to dress himself and walk down to the kitchen. It was full, full of people which was exactly what he'd been dreading. There were always people in this house.

"George." Hermione said being the first to spot him. "Hi."

"Morning." He said with a nod.

"Actually it's nearly supper." Ginny said quietly.

"Whatever." Everyone just stared at him, like an exhibit in a zoo. The remaining twin.

"We better get you a chair." Ron said awkwardly and mostly to the floor.

"He can sit next to me." Luna sang. "There's a spot right here." He really didn't mind sitting next to Luna. She seemed to be the least weird around him. Or at least no weirder than she was with anyone else. After a painfully long awkward pause the conversation gradually started up again. It had never bothered him before, the noise.

"You look ill." Luna said pleasantly. "Have you eaten any Aquavirius Maggot's lately? I hear they're quite poisonous."

"Not in recent memory no." He said.

"Oh." She almost sounded disappointed. "Might just be a cold then."

"Might be." She stared off into space. "Luna?"

"Yes?" She said refocusing.

"How did you know?" He said quietly.

"About the Aquavirius Maggot's?"

"No, that . . .that the pain wouldn't stop." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Well, when my mother died, I didn't want to leave my bed I just cried and slept and for some reason I thought that would make it all better, that, that was easier then going outside."

"And?" He asked.

"It's much easier to find reasons to be happy when you're not shut up in your room thinking about all the reasons you have to be sad." She said simply. George contemplated this.

"Does it ever . . .you know, stop?" He asked cautiously.

"No, no I don't think it does. It get's easier though, it gets better."

"Thank you Luna." He said. She smiled and put her hand on top of his.

"You don't have to punish yourself you know, for being the one who lived."


	2. Canaries

George sat at his desk. He paced his office. He pulled the erasers out of his pencils. He had been in there for hours trying desperately to come up with an idea. Any idea. It had been a year since Voldemort had been defeated. It had been a year since he'd been able to design a new product. His eyes flicked involuntarily to the desk opposite his. It was identical in every way except for the name tag. Instead of George it read Fred. Fred. The name echoed in his mind. Fred would have come up with a dozen products by now, George thought miserably. He spent several more hours pacing, sitting and pencil defiling before he finally gave up. What was the use? His imagination had died along with his brother. And his sense of humor. He let Lee go home, shut the lights and was just about to lock the door when someone called his name.

"Luna?" He said surprised.

"Hello George." She smiled at him dreamily before floating into the shop.

"Um, sorry, but were closed." He said awkwardly unsure of exactly what she was doing.

"I know." She said. "I'm not here to buy anything." George waited for her to elaborate but she didn't.

"So, er, why are you here then?" He asked.

"I'm here to see you of course."

Very few people had ever been in the flat above the shop. Except for himself, Fred and several members of his family, Luna was the first person to see it.

"Sorry about the mess." George apologized as he picked up some old news papers. "Haven't got around to cleaning it."

"It's wonderful." Luna said airily as she walked towards the large bay window at the far end of the room.

"Ah" George said. "Thanks, I guess." He waited once again for her to continue, for her to further explain this unexpected visit. But once again she failed to do so. "So, why'd did you come to see me then?" He asked. "Did my mum send you?"

"Oh no." She said lightly. "No I had a dream about you." George made a choking sound.

"You had a dream about me?" He said bemused.

"Well, not you exactly. It was Fred." She said softly. Yes, George had, had a lot of those. Though he would describe them more as nightmares than dreams. "He spoke to me, told me to come visit you. He said you'd need my help." George shifted uneasily between his feet.

"Did he? Well as you can see I'm perfectly fine. Don't need any help, thanks for the, er, offer though."

"He said you'd say that." She spoke with a faint smile on her lips. "He said that you would try and get me to leave, pretend that you were getting along fine. He made me promised not to go though, said it was very important that I help you." George stared at her in awe. Did she always talk this rubbish?

"Look Luna, I'm really tired, do you think you could help me some other time?" He asked impatiently. It had been a long day and he was in no mood to humor her.

"I'm not sure." She said uncertainly. "I suppose as long as I do help you then it's ok."

"Great!" George said excitedly as he rushed her towards the door.

"I'll come by again tomorrow." She said as she reached the door.

"Sure."

"Oh." She said staring at the hallway. "I suppose I'll have to go home now."

"Looks like it." He said, unsure of where exactly she was going with that.

"You now, some times I wish I had wings on my trainers."

"What? Why, you could just apparate or take a broom or something."

"Yes I suppose." She spoke thoughtfully. "But I often find I miss a lot when I fly on a broom, I can't enjoy the scenery. And apparating is just dreadful don't you think?"

"Suppose."

"Plus wouldn't it be wonderful to have something that allowed you to fly indoors, to float down stairs and through corridors." George opened his mouth ready to try once again to push her out the door when what she said finally hit him.

"Yeah it would actually." He said. "That'd be brilliant, especially for kids who are too young to apparate, and don't own a broom. And at Hogwarts!" He said excitedly. "I mean think of all those stairs, you could fly to your classes!"

"OOh." Luna cooed. "That sounds lovely. Well I should be going, see you tomorrow George." And with that she wandered out the door.

"Yeah, yeah." He said his mind going a mile a minute. "This'll be fantastic, I think I know exactly how do it to. Do you remember that time Mcgonagall made us turn our books into canaries? Fred? Fred?" He looked up. His voice echoed off the walls of the flat. It was at moments like this that George remembered just how lonely he was.


	3. Lovegood Levitators

"This is mental" Lee said as him and George stared out the shop windows. It was five minutes until they opened and a line had formed about two blocks long outside their door. George couldn't help smiling. It had taken a few months of tinkering but he'd finally gotten the charm right for Luna's trainers.

"Should we wait for Ron?" George asked, checking the clock. They looked at each other.

"Nahh." They said together. George felt a small pang in his chest. And suddenly all he wanted was for Fred to be the one standing next to him.

"George?" Lee asked. "You ok?"

"Yeah, yeah." George shook his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's open these doors shall we?" And with the flick of his wand the crowd began to pour in. They raced straight for the sneakers, shouting and laughing, filling up the shop. This was when George was happiest. When he felt the most at home.

"Do still have pygmy puffs?" George looked down at a small girl maybe nine or ten. She wore her brown hair in pig tales that stuck out on either side of her head like Pippi Longstocking.

"Of course." He said brightly. "There right over there." It appeared that at that moment a crowd of boisterous boys had gathered around them. Fear flashed across her face. "You know what?" George said bending down to her level. "I think I'll go have a look at them myself, Would you like to come with me?" She nodded her head excitedly, a smile now replacing her grimace. They walked through the crowd of boys hand in hand. "Which one do you want?" He asked.

"Hmmmmm." She looked at them her big blue eyes glistening. "I think, I want . . . that one!" She pointed to the fluffiest of the bunch. George placed it gently in her hand. "Thank you!" She said as she rushed off to purchase her new friend.

"Yeah, sure, no problem." He often liked to imagine what him and Fred might have thought of the shop if they had visited it as kids. Would it have been one of their favorites?

"I've always loved these." Came a dreamy voice which snapped George back to reality.

"LUNA!"

"Oh, hello" She said pleasantly. "I don't think anyones ever been that excited to see me." George just smiled.

"Come" He said pulling her along. "Come see." He pushed his way through the crowd. "Excuse me. Excuse me." He said as he tried to pass a group of first years who had formed a wall in front of the trainers. "Look." He said as he finally reached the display. Upon each package of winged shoes gold letters flashed the words Lovegood Levitators.

"Wow." She said as she held one of the packages. "They are quite cool aren't they?"

"They're brilliant Luna, people line up for ages to get a pair, they're selling out like mad."

"Wonderful." She said. "Though they do appear to be infested George."

"Infested?" He asked amused.

"Yes, with Nargles. Did you use mistletoe to make these?"

"Um, no I don't think so." He struggled not to laugh.

"Oh well, it's nothing radish can't fix." She went to put the shoes back on the display.

"Wait." He said stopping her. "I want you to have those."

"Oh, but I haven't any money." She said simply.

"It's fine, take them, there yours really." George shrugged. She looked back down at the shoes a smile spreading across her lips.

"Thank you." She said. "I think that might be the nicest thing anyones ever done for me."

"It's not a big deal really." said George. "I mean, they were your idea."

"George!" Lee called. "I need more help over here, Ron still hasn't shown!" he said somewhat angrily.

"Ok!" George called back. "Sorry Luna I've got to-" But before he could finish she hugged him.

"See you later." She said cheerily. "I've got to go buy some radish anyway." He laughed.

"See ya."

The shop was packed all day. There was never a moment of silence. There was no time to relax. And George loved every minute of it.

"Maybe we could keep it open a bit later tonight?" George suggested as they reached closing time with a still bustling store.

"My feet are killing me." Ron whined.

"Oh shut up, you got here an hour and half late!" Said Lee.

"It's not my fault mum made me clean the kitchen!" He said indignantly.

"And it's not our fault you still live at home." said George. Him and Lee laughed.

"I'm looking for my own place ok? It's kind of hard when you barely pay me!"

"Oh what's that? I think I just heard someone saying they wanted to get sacked." Once again George and Lee laughed. An older woman and three small children approached the counter with arm fulls of goodies. "Well" George said to Ron. "Go on, help them." Cursing under his breath Ron walked over to the cash register.

"Why is he here if he hates it so much?" Lee asked.

"I dunno. Only place that'll hire him?" He smirked. "And . . .He's probably here to, you know, check up on me."

"Check up on you?"

"Yeah." George said more seriously. Lee looked at him as if he was seeing him for the first time.

"I miss him too."

"Happy BIrthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Harry, Happy Birthday to you!" The burrow irrupted in cheers of good will as Harry blew out the candles of his cake.

"Happy Birthday Harry." Hermione said as she gave him a big hug.

"Wait 'till you see my gift." Ron grinned.

"I never thought, that I'd be here." Harry said. "That I'd, I don't know, live this long." Mrs. Weasley abruptly burst into tears. George stood as far away from everyone as he possibly could. It wasn't that he didn't want to Celebrate Harry's Birthday. Or that he didn't like his family, or his friends. But being back here, at times like this . . .it was hard. It was still hard. George rarely ever came by the Burrow, and almost never talked to his family, apart from Ron. Everything just felt much easier to deal with when he was on his own.

"Haven't seen you in a while" Percy said as he tore away from the crowd and started towards George. It took everything in him not to run away. The last person he wanted to talk to was percy. It wasn't his fault, he had to reminded himself, it wasn't his fault. Still he could not will himself to speak or even look at his older brother. "I hear the shops doing well." He went on.

"Yeah." George said stiffly. "It's good." Percy stared awkwardly at his drink and George noticed that his hands were shaking.

"I've been, um, meaning to drop by." Percy continued. "See how you were doing." If he had wanted Percy to come see him then perhaps he would've been upset. Upset that he hadn't heard a word from him in over a year. But he wasn't. In fact he was grateful.

"I've been really busy. Probably wouldn't be a good idea, I don't really have time, to . . .catch up." He searched for an escape. He wanted out, out of that conversation and out of that house.

"George." Percy said pleadingly. "I didn't, if I could have, You know that I never wanted him to . . ." Percy gulped "D-"

"Not now." George practically begged. "Not now." And he walked away leaving Percy with his mouth ajar.


	4. Angelina

George watched the shop from across the street. He watched the children flock to it, he watched Lee run about with that stupid grin on his face. Even Ron seemed quite happy. Yes, this was everything George had dreamt of and yet when he looked at that colourful building so full of life, all he felt was guilt. Because he had not dreamt of this alone.

"Well look who it is." Came a loud and confident voice.

"No way." George smiled as he embraced his old friend. "Angelina Johnson in the flesh." He couldn't help but notice how great she looked.

"Wow." She gasped, stepping back and admiring the shop. "Look at that."She turned to him. "It's really great George." He looked down quickly as he felt his face heat up. "Really great."

"Thanks." He said. "You've done pretty well too I hear, Captain. Not that I'm surprised, you were almost worse than Oliver, and that's saying something." He grinned.

"Oh shut up!" She pushed his arm playfully.

"The Holyhead Harpies have never been better." He said sincerely. Angelina took in a big breath and simply stared at him.

"What?" He asked, suddenly worried about the clothes he'd chosen this morning. Perhaps the purple vest was a bit much.

"Nothing, nothing, just . . .I've missed you." She said in perhaps the sweetest voice she had ever spoken.

"Don't go getting all soft on me." George said playfully as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"I am not soft!" She said indignantly. "George Weasley you take that back!"

"Haven't changed much then?" George laughed.

"No of course not." She said playfully. "What's to change?" George felt suddenly light, much lighter than he had felt in a very long time. As if the idea that he could be ok again seemed possible, that maybe things could be normal.

"I'm sorry I've been such a crap friend." She said suddenly. "I meant to stay, to visit, after . . ." She struggled, an uncommon occurrence for Angelina. "You know, the funeral." And as suddenly as the weights had lifted they returned. "But, I don't know, I just kept putting it off, keeping busy."

"It's ok." He said numbly.

"It's not though." She looked up at him. "I really wanted to be there for you, I just, I was a mess George. I don't think I really could've helped anyone."

"Hey" He said. "I get it, he was your friend. You needed time." George made sure not to mention the romantic side of their relationship.

"Still." She said. "I'm sorry." For a moment there was silence. "I have, a proposition to make you." She said suddenly, her tone full of mischief.

"Do you now?" George asked.

"Well, not exactly, actually it's just more something I should share with you."

"Mm?"

"I'm going to be staying in your flats for a few weeks, until the World Cup starts."

"Ha ha! That's a funny one." George said playfully.

" You wish it was a joke." She winked.

"I'm not letting you in my flat."

"Oh, Come on Georgie, it'll be a laugh." She smiled brightly and widely and it was contagious.

"Yeah all right, but don't go trying to clean or anything. I know what you women are like."

"I'm sorry, do you want a slap?" She asked smiling. They walked together towards the store laughing and joking as if no time had passed. And for a moment George forgot, forgot . . .everything.

Having Angelina stay was actually quite helpful. It was nice to have someone else in the flat, nice not to be alone. George found this constant distraction helpful. He had less time to think about Fred and therefore less time to hurt.

"I'm just saying" Angelina continued, following George around the shop as he stocked shelves. "You could have whole line of like, toy quidditch stuff."

"The quidditch shops already have those." He said for the hundredth time. "Besides, this is a joke shop Angie, I mean I like watching people falling off brooms just as much as the next guy but theres nothing funny about a stupid toy . . ." George trailed off an idea forming in his mind. "A bucking broom." He whispered.

"What?" Angelina asked.

"Faulty quiditch equipment!" He said suddenly. "Bucking brooms, exploding bludgers, Nasty snitches that taunt you while you try to catch them!" His mind raced with the possibility of a whole new line of products.

"That's mental, you can't go selling that stuff!" Angelina said outraged. "Can you imagine what's would happen at Hogwarts? People swapping the equipment for exploding bludgers?"

"Well they wont explode like BOOM" He said to an extremely confused Angelina. "They'll explode paint or snakes or confetti or something. Plus the teachers are too smart to fall for that stuff, they'll never get them pass Madam Hooch."

"And the bucking broom? What are they going to do, check every broom to make sure it's not faulty? It's going to be chaos!" She said.

"It wont be that bad, and besides they wont let you get high enough to actually hurt yourself." He looked at her expectantly, hoping for a laugh or a pat on the back for such a brilliant idea but instead she just grimaced. Her mouth opened to speak but another voice interrupted her.

"Wow." It said dreamily. "That sounds like quite a lot of fun." George beamed as he turned to face Luna. "I especially like the confetti idea."

"Thanks Luna." George said cheerfully. "See." He said to Angelina. "Someone appreciates my genius!" Angelina rolled her eyes.

"I'm not saying you're not . . .clever." She said the word as though it pained her to speak it. "I just think, well a lot could go wrong." George scoffed. "IT COULD!" She said indignantly. "What if some stupid first year gets bucked off his broom and breams his arm or something?"

"Oh Madam Pomfrey can mend bones quite quickly." Luna interjected.

"Yes I know that thanks." Angelina said annoyed. "That's not the point!"

"So what is the point?" George asked lightly.

"The point is what if he's got rich parents or something, what if they decide to sue you? What if something worse happens? What if you traumatize some kid and they never get back on a broom, Don't you laugh at me George Weasley!" For George had begun to snicker.

"Look, I appreciate your concern Angie, but trust me, I know what I'm doing ok? It'll be fine."

"More than fine I expect." Said Luna. "I think they'll sell quite well."

"There you go." Said George brightly.

"Fine." She sighed. "Look, I've got to go to practice. See you later." She kissed him on the cheek before heading for the door. She had never done that before. Kissed him.

"She's pretty." Said Luna simply.

"Yeah." George was transfixed by a retreating Angelina. "I mean, what? Maybe, guess, sort of." He snapped back to reality.

"Oh." She smiled. "You fancy her." At that moment every inch of his skin matched his hair.

"I don't, I mean, were friends, good friends, I couldn't." Fred filled his mind. Angelina and Fred, it had always been the two of them, always. Kissing her, being with her, it would be a grave betrayal.

"I don't think he'd mind." Luna said as though she could hear his thoughts.

"You don't think he, I mean, who wouldn't mind?" George asked nervously.

"Fred." She said matter of fact. "They always just want us to be happy, the people that we lose. And she seems to make you happy." George stared at Luna. Yes, Angelina made him laugh, made him forget. But if he had been asked the question who made him happy, without hesitating, he would have answered Luna.


	5. My Brothers Ghost

Music blasted in ever room of the flat. It filled the spaces which had been neglected for so long with warmth.

"And I get down like a lonely elf, dancing by herself!" Angelina's voice sang over the pounding of the shower. "Dah, Dah, bam, boo, wah" She danced around as bubbles filled the bathroom. A loud knocking noise finally managed to penetrated the music. "Have you forgotten your keys again!" She yelled angrily. There was no response. Grudgingly she wrapped a towel around herself. "I swear George, if you lose that thing one more time I'm going to- oh, hi er, Harry." Harry stared at his former quidditch captain drenched and in nothing but a towel.

"I." Harry's face went instantly red. "I'll, I'll come back later if, this is, a, um." He found himself unable to finnish his sentence and instead became quite interested in his shoes.

"No, no, no. It's fine." She said gesturing for him to come in. "I'll just put some clothes on and go get Fred, I think he's in the office."

"George." Harry said slightly taken aback.

"What?"

"George, um, you said Fred . . ." Harry said awkwardly. He looked up long enough to see something strange happen to her face. Pain? Remorse? Sadness? Guilt? He couldn't tell and quickly returned his gaze to the floor.

"Right. Ok, I'm just going to . . ." And with that she disappeared into the bathroom, from which she emerged several moments later fully clothed. "Just a second" She said to Harry before she popped her head out the door. "GEORGE!" Her voice was so loud it almost knocked Harry over.

"I'M BUSY!" Came Georges faint reply.

"YOU'VE GOT COMPANY!" This time Harry Braced himself. Within minutes there was a pop and George appeared in the middle of the room.

"Is it Mum again?" He said irritably. "Cause I haven't got time for another lecture on house keeping." Angelina nodded towards Harry who suddenly felt even more awkward, which he hadn't thought possible. "Oh." Said George slightly more cheery "Hello Harry."

"I'm just gonna" Angelina began as she inched towards the door. "Go down to the shop."

"So." George said once she'd left. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Well . . ."Harry shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Just, um, just come by to, you know, see how the shop is, and, er . . ." The truth was, Harry had been ambushed by Hermione, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley the day before and made to promise to come see how George was doing. Why they couldn't just ask him themselves he wasn't sure. George raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Right then." He said as he headed for the kitchen. Several minutes later he returned with a bottle and two glasses in hand. "Mum's sent you has she?" He said as he sat down and gestured for Harry to do the same.

"No." He said automatically. "I mean, not exactly, but, yeah." George handed him a glass. "What is this?" Harry asked with a worried glance at the now bubbling substance.

"Relax." George said as he drank his whole cup in one gulp. "It's just old Fire Whisky. Tastes better this way." He added when Harry did not look at all reassured. "So, what have they sent you to ask me? What do they want?"

"I." Harry set his drink down. "I think they're just worried."

"How many times do I have to tell them to stop that?" He said with a some what joking tone. "I've already told them all a hundred times, I'm fine."

"I suppose." Harry said cautiously, knowing that he was really not the person for this conversation. "I think they'll probably stop asking once you start to, you know, mean it." The small smile faded from Georges face.

"They'll be waiting a long time then I expect." he said darkly. Harry nodded. He knew what it was like, to be angry, and hurt. To feel the pain bubbling inside you, and eating you whole. It was like being constantly surrounded by dementors and wondering if you'll ever be happy again. And to lose a twin, he thought, would be particularly traumatic.

"Is there anything I can do? I mean, I dunno. . ."

"Nah." George said lightly. "Don't worry about it." He took another gulp of Fire Whisky.

"I'm just . . ." Harry said his voice cracking. "I'm just really sorry George." It was all he could think of. George looked at him, his eyes somewhat watery.

"Yeah." He said quietly. "Me too."

...

George sat in the spot where Harry left him. He did not move or acknowledge Angelina's return, he simply sat. He wasn't getting better he knew this. He was in the exact same state he had been in the night he'd seen Fred lie lifeless on the ground. He had simply become better at pushing his feelings aside, at not thinking about it. But it was still there. Always. The pain remained forever his companion never truly leaving his side.

"Hello." He croaked as Luna sat down beside him. He'd been there somewhat comatose for hours and Luna was not his first visitor. But she was the first one he'd wanted to talk to. "Sent you have they?"

"Yes." She said pleasantly. "I think they're scared of you to be honest." George laughed.

"Wouldn't surprise me." He said.

"I wonder." She asked. "Do you ever miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"Being funny?" This time George laughed for real.

"All the time." He said with a weak smile.

"I miss it too." She said.

"You miss being funny?" George raised a questioning eyebrow. He'd always found Luna quite funny it was true, though it hadn't been because of her sense of humor.

"No silly." She smiled. "I miss you being funny." Silence fell between them.

"Luna?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask you something, it might sound a bit odd?" George said quietly.

"Oh I doubt it will sound odd." She said matter of fact.

"Right, well . . .I was wondering, actually I've been wondering for a while . . .It's just, people, they seem weird around me you know?"

"Not really no."

"I mean, they don't act the way they use to, and I thought it was because they were waiting for me to explode or something but now, now I wonder . . .Is it hard, to be around me? I mean, I look just like him, I sound just like him, but I'm not . . ."

"It's funny." She said dreamily.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't often say his name out loud. Does that help? Not saying his name?"

"I" George struggled. "I, no, no I don't think so."

"Hmm." She said thoughtfully. "And yes, it can be quite disconcerting I think, for them to see you walking around because for a moment they can pretend, that he's still here." George sat silently. Great, he thought, for the rest of my life I will be my brothers ghost. "But, I think it's also comforting." She continued.

"Comforting?" George asked.

"Yes, because it's as though he's not dead at all, because he lives through you." George had nothing to say, for the thought that he could be of any comfort to anyone had never crossed his mind. "I think you're too hard on yourself George." She said softly. "Its not your fault."

"But if I'd been there!" He said suddenly.

"I don't think it would have made a difference. Lots of people were there. Percy, Harry, Ron, Hermione. You don't think they would have saved him if they could have?"

"No, of course they would have, just . . ."

"But it doesn't really matter anyway, because you weren't there and he died and you didn't." George gulped.

"How do I live with that, that's what I don't get, because no matter how hard I try I just, I can't see how I'm going to keep getting through without him." He was desperate, practically begging her for an answer. To tell him the secret to dealing with grief.

"I don't know." She said. "I suppose you'll just have to keep trying, until one day you don't have to."


	6. Even If I Go Blind

George paced feverishly from one end of the room to the other with a worried Lee watching from the doorway. Sweat rolled like tears down his face, soaking right through his suit.

"You gotta relax man" Lee said cautiously.

"I can't" said George "I can't, I can't do this, I'm not, I just can't." He ran his shaking hands through his already thoroughly messy hair. He had made a terrible, terrible mistake.

"It's going to be ok, just sit down."

"Nothing about this is ok."

"George I'm serious you need to chill out." But George ignored him and continued his pacing. This was perhaps the stupidest thing he had ever done, he had dug himself into a whole so deep he could see no way out. _Always have an escape_ _plan,_ he could practically hear Fred say it as the thought floated through his head.

"That's it." Said Lee and before George had time to react he felt himself get thrown back in to a chair, ropes materializing and holding him still.

"Bloody hell Lee" George said as he struggled.

"I told you" He said "You need to sit down."

"No" said George still struggling "What I need is to get out of here!" Lee shook his head.

"Look I'm going to go get someone to talk to you ok?" He backed towards the door.

"Don't you dare!" Said George. "Lee don't you dare leave me here tied to a bloody chair!" But it was too late, Lee was gone. "Great" he sighed "Fucking fantastic, way to go George way to get yourself into another wonderful God damn mess, way disappoint them all again, aren't you just a fucking genius always-"

"Talking to yourself?" Came a dreamy voice. Luna waltz into the room her long blond hair draped over her shoulder. "I like to talk to myself too sometimes makes me feel less alone." George let out another sigh.

"Sent you in, did he?"

"Just till he can find your mum" Luna said casually.

"MY MUM!" George yelled. "My mum! He's going to get my mum! Jesus Christ why doesn't he just kill me?"

"You don't need to be scared you know."

"Clearly you haven't spent very much time with my mum."

"No, I meant about getting married." George looked at her, she was wearing a ridiculous yellow dress that was puffy in all the wrong places and yet somehow still managed to look beautiful on her.

"We made a pack." He said suddenly. "Me and Fred." Luna glided over, perching herself on the edge of a near by desk. "Said we'd never get married, I mean can you imagine me settled down in some house with kids and a wife?"

"Yes." Luna said bluntly.

"Well I can't, I'm not, not marriage material."

"Than why did you propose?"

"I didn't, I mean not really. I told her I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her and then she asked me if I was proposing and I didn't want to say no so I said yes and then she said yes and . . .well here we are."

"Have you ever heard of the Blibbering Humdinger?" Luna asked.

"Umm, no, not that I can remember."

"Well when a male Blibbering Humdinger meets his mate he goes blind."

"That's awful! I don't want to go blind!"

"But don't you see? It's because he's found someone to show him the way." Luna said simply.

"While that may be poetic it's not really making me feel a whole lot better. I appreciate the effort though" Said George.

"It's funny that the Humdingers still mate even though they know what will happen to them" She said thoughtfully "But here you are terrified and you wont even go blind." George opened his mouth to speak but found himself speechless. "You do love her you know" Luna continued "I see it in the way you look at her, the way you smile when she walks in to a room. She makes you happy. I don't think Fred would mind very much if you broke your pack." She stared at him, a very honest, very sincere stare. "Well" Luna smiled "I better make sure there are no Nargles in the bridesmaid bouquets. Besides I think I hear your mother coming." And sure enough at that moment George heard his name echo down the hall.

"George!" Came his mothers voice "GEORGE!."

"Goodbye" Luna whispered as she slipped out the door. Within moments his mother was in her place. She burst in to the room her face flushed and her eyes determined. "What is this I hear about calling off the wedding! Do you know how hard me and your father have worked to put this all together?"

"No one is canceling the wedding." George said calmly.

"If you think I'm just going to let you leave that poor girl . . .wait, what did you just say?"

"I said, we are not canceling the wedding. Lee, think you could untie me?"

"Ah, yeah, yeah of course." With the the flick of Lee's wand the ropes disappeared and George stood up.

"I love Angelina and I'm going to marry her today, even if I go blind." He said walking from the room, leaving Lee Jordan and Mrs. Weasley stunned and slightly confused.

"Blind?" said Mrs. Weasley "Why on Earth would he go blind?"


	7. Fred

George sat with his fingers pressed to his temples.

"You sure we haven't broken him?" He offered getting a dangerous glare from Angelina.

"He is _not_ broken" she spat. "Besides, where does this "we" come from? You've barely picked him up."

"Oh sorry dear, my mistake. Have _you _broken him then?" George ducked as a bottle flew above his head. They'd had the little bugger for barely two months and already George wanted to give him back. It wasn't that the baby had no redeeming qualities, he could at times be quite adorable. However with Georges lack of sleep and fastly deteriorating marriage he found his patients running thin. Angelina rocked the baby back and forth and back and forth humming funny little tunes and begging for him to stop. Babies, George had learned, are extremely uncooperative.

"Well are you just going to sit there or are you going to do something?" Angelina demanded.

"Like what! What do you want me to do! You spend all day bickering about how I never help but any time I do anything it's wrong!"

"Maybe if you just did it right for once-"

"Oh here we go." The baby wailed louder. "Will you shut that thing up!"

"He's not a thing George he's a baby, our baby."

"I don't care what it bloody is just get him to be quiet!"

"Say his name." As if on cue the baby fell silent. George stared at it, hating it for no reason. For things that were not it's fault. "Say. His. Name." She said again.

"Why? Why the hell should I?"

"You named him!"

"I know that Angie but thanks for the refresher."

"Just say it!"

"What does it matter?"

"I want to hear you say our sons name."

"NO!" Once again the baby began to wail.

"God damn it George" Angelina said tears running down her face "God damn it." George stood there for a minute and watched her, he felt regret and guilt fill the pit of his stomach. This was not who he was. This was not what he wanted.

"I, I, sorry." He whispered as he backed away from them. "Sorry." Before he knew what he was doing he grabbed his wand and ran out the door. He couldn't stand to be there a moment longer. He couldn't stand to lose any more of himself. Angelina sank to the ground Fred Jr still clutched in her arms, her tears running on to his face. They hadn't always been like this, they had been happy. But sometimes he disappeared, right before her very eyes, it was as though he was constantly at war with the sadness inside him.

George hadn't planned to go there. He had just followed his feet, he had just gone. It wasn't until he boarded the train that he realized what he was doing. And now here he was. Starring at the last place where things had felt ok, the last place where he hadn't felt alone, the place where everything fell apart. He sat down on the ground at the edge of Hogsmeade with a perfect view of Hogwarts. His hand clutched a cold bottle of fire whisky. If George was perfectly honest he had never really left Hogwarts. His mind was still filled with all the memories which lay instead those cold stone walls. He had been the happiest when he was there and it scared him to think that maybe he would never be that happy again.

"Hello Luna." He said as she sat down beside him.

"Their all out looking for you, you know." She said starring off into the distance."They didn't have a clue where you'd gone."

"But you did." George said with a small smile, not the least bit surprised.

"I just knew where I'd go" She said simply. "So what are you running away from then?"

"My life" George laughed darkly taking a large gulp from his bottle.

"No I don't think you are." There was silence between them. In the distance you could almost hear the students chatter, almost hear them laugh. He missed it, he missed it so much.

"I can't keep doing this." George said suddenly. "I need to get over this already."

"Voldemort!" Luna yelled suddenly, her voice echoing around them.

"Luna what are you doing?"

"VOLDEMORT, VOLDEMORT, VOLDEMORT, VOLDEMORT!" People began to stare.

"Luna are you alright?"

"Of course" She said softly. "You know I never thought I'd be able to say it, Voldemort, but things are always much easier to face when they have a name." At first he didn't understand but then the more he thought about it the clearer it became.

"Fred." He said slowly.

"Sorry? I couldn't hear you?"

"Fred." He said again "Fred, Fred, Fred, FRED!" And he screamed it, at the top of his lungs as loud as he could. "I can't, I can't let him go and I can't keep running off like this they deserve better, they all deserve so much better."

"Since when did you get to decide what they deserve?"

"I can't be there for them the way they need me to be, I'm not strong enough anymore."

"Oh I don't think that's true." She looked at him. She had helped him through so much, he thought, he could never thank her. "You're as strong as you want to be."

"You think I want this? I'm so sick of feeling this way of constantly trying to pretend that the anger and the hurt isn't there. But no matter how many times I lie to myself I can't make it go away, no matter what I do I can never fill that giant god damn hole that he left. And the thing is I can handle all that, all the guilt and the pain but I just, I miss him. I miss him every single day." Silent tears began to roll down his cheeks. Luna took his hand.

"So miss him." She said softly. "Miss him and hurt for him and hate for him. But smile for him too, love for him too. And know that every day you laugh, every day you kiss your baby boy or hold your wife, he is there. And he is happy too." They stayed there for a long time. The sun set and darkness fell and not once did Luna move her hand or did George try to pull away. He sat there and let her words sink in. He stared up at the castle where him and his brother had spent most of their days and he let his sadness go.

"Hi." George said when he returned home. Angelina sat on the couch her head down in a book. "I'm er, I'm really sorry Angie." She didn't move or speak or in anyway indicate that she had heard him. "I love you." He said. Still no response. "Well I'm just gonna, gonna go check on ah . . .little Freddie." George turned to go.

"What did you just say?" Angelina asked unable to help herself.

"Well, it's his name isn't it?" Said George as he looked back at her.

"Yes." She said slowly. "Yes it's his name."

"Glad we got that sorted then" George said with a small smile. Angelina shook her head in disbelief.

"Don't you do that ever again George Weasley. Don't you leave me ever again."

"I wont." He said quickly. "I promise Angie."

"And if you're angry or sad or whatever it is that you are just tell me ok? Just talk to me."

"I promise." He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "I promise. I promise. I promise." He whispered.

"I love you too George."

"We're going to be ok you know." He said. "We're going to be ok."

And they were.


	8. Prequel

(Shortly before the battle at Hogwarts . . .)

"D'you think anyone would remember us?" George asked his brother as he laced up his trainers.

"What do you mean?" Said Fred.

"If we, you know, if we croak tonight, d'you think anyone will remember us?" Fred laughed turning to face his brother and finding to his surprise that he looked rather serious.

"We're not gonna die" said Fred sternly.

"Yeah, I know but . . ."

"Listen to me Georgie" Fred said as he sat down beside him. "You think that there is going to be a single kid at Hogwarts who doesn't hear about us? About the stunts we pulled? And sure there'll be copy cats, kids trying to prove that they could do better, but it'll never be the same. We're legends brother, the stories they're gonna tell about us." Fred smiled "No matter what happens tonight, you and me, we'll be alive at that school forever."

"Bit pretentious don't you think?" George laughed.

"Maybe a bit."

"BOYS!" Their mother yelled. "Harry's at the school, we have to go!"

"You with me Georgie?" Fred said, extending a hand to his brother.

"Always."


End file.
